Over 1,300 volunteers representing different businesses, nonprofits, unions, service groups and friends gathered for a day of collective impact at parks, libraries, schools and other locations across Scott and Rock Island counties.
United Way Quad Cities’ Day of Caring volunteering event roared back for the first time in three years with more than 80 meaningful, hands-on projects to give opportunity and help neighbors in need.
Volunteer projects included painting, cleaning, landscaping, building or repairing, at schools, parks, nonprofits and other sites across the area.
“One of the greatest gifts you can give is time,” said Marguerite Tomlin, Arconic’s Internal Communications Specialist. “At Arconic, we’re proud to support the return of United Way Quad Cities’ popular Day of Caring as a sponsor and encourage our staff to help out at nonprofits and agencies that do so much for our community.”
Arconic employees helped paint, clean and reorganize at a local nonprofit; clear brush, landscape and renovate at a historic landmark; build paper mâché puppets for a local cultural institution; and contribute to other volunteer projects across the Quad Cities.
Pathway to Success
“It might sound crazy to some, but our United Way Quad Cities team of employees, supporters and extraordinary volunteers never settle for ‘good enough.’ So, we’re on a mission to ‘make caring famous’ in the Quad Cities this year,” said Rene Gellerman, President and CEO of United Way Quad Cities.
“Today our community made a huge step toward meeting one of our goals for our 50th anniversary as an organization — recruiting 5,000 volunteers to make a positive difference in our community by June 2023. 1,338 real people — neighbors, friends, service groups, unions and businesses — decided to roll up their sleeves to make the community a better place, and we are so grateful for their investment of time and talent.”
“Being kind, caring, generous and united for the sake of our community is even more important — and inspiring — than ever in today’s divisive climate.”
Gellerman announced Wednesday three wishes for the community to help celebrate United Way’s 50th “birthday,” and further solidify funding for its programs and implementing partners, which, thanks to the more than 9,000 United Way donors last year helped nearly 75,000 residents. Those wishes are, by June 30:
- 5,000 volunteers recruited;
- 50 companies and unions increase their annual United Way investment by 50%;
- And 5,000 new or existing donors to give $10 or more a month than they did last year, resulting in $650,000 of new investments in our community.
Thank you to our Day of Caring sponsor:
